Kanta dAb dAb - Gathamuga

Live from Future Festival at Nepal Tourism Board Gathamuga, a unique and one of the most ancient festivals of Newars in the Kathmandu Valley. It is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month Shrawan. This year it will be celebrated on 30th July 2019.It also marks the beginning of celebration of other festivals. There are many myths attached to this festival. One of them is that in ancient times the people in the Kathmandu valley faced shortage of labour during the monsoon season to work in the vast farmlands. So as a solution to this, with the help of tantric ceremonies, they invoked supernatural spirits in themselves that gave them superhuman physical strength and that helped them to work hard in the fields, solving the shortage of labour. At the end of the plantation season, the demons had to be chased away from homes, which had to be cleansed. Another belief connected to this festival is that there was a demon named ‘Ghantakarna’ who wore a pair of bells on his ears, hence his name, wherein Ghanta means ‘bell’ and Karna means ‘ears’. People were terrified and tired of him as he used to steal children and women and demanded money from the villagers. They wanted to get rid of him so one day a large number of frogs came to rescue them. They started to croak together. This made the demon agitated and he ran after them. The frogs all jumped in the swamp and the demon jumped along with them. They came out of the swamp, but the demon drowned. Some say Gathamuga and Ghantakarna are two separate stories and what we celebrate on this day is only Gathamuga. Yet another belief is that when people frequently suffered from gastrointestinal diseases during the summer and monsoon seasons, it was believed that these were caused by a demon. Hence, at the end of the season these demons were to be chased away. Giant sculptures with paper masks, representing Gatha Muga or Ghantakarna, made of wheat straw areput up at crossroads of the main streets which are burnt in the evening. It is believed that crossroads are where the evil spirits rendezvous. Handmade dolls are hung up on these figures to burn the evil spirits. In the evening, a person who acts as Ghantakarna called ‘Aaju Jaya Ha’, applies paint all over his body till he looks monstrous. He is then served with beaten rice with curd under the sculpture. He roams around the streets with a burning torch of husk in his hands begging for donation. The man moves around the sculpture three times. Everyone drags the sculpture to the nearby river. n this process, Aaju Jaya Ha escapes on the way. Also from this very day, the Lakhe dance begins. The women clean their homes to remove any traces of evil spirits left behind. In the evening ‘Bou Wayegu’ is performed. The eldest man of the house carries out a tantric ritual by driving three iron nails on top of the main door of the house chanting mantras. Then white and black mustard seeds sprinkled on coal fire in a small clay pot is taken in all rooms of the home which fills them with thick smoke which is believed to drive away any lingering evil spirit from the house. However, looking at it from a scientific point of view the mustard smoke actually acts as an insecticide to drive away any insects that roam around during the monsoon season. An offering of cooked rice or beaten rice, husk and pieces of raw buffalo lungs along with Gathamuga Swan which is a type of flower, known as ‘Dronapuspa’ is placed at the crossroads for the spirits thanking them for their services and assuring that it will be asked for again next year. Once these rituals are over, people close all doors and windows and no member of the family is allowed to go out that night. It is believed that sorcerers are very active that night and they visit funeral grounds and other places of worship to become more powerful. Farmers on this day also offer rice and lentil soup to frogs in gratitude for a good rain and for killing Ghantakarna. This ceremony is known as Byan (frog) Ja (rice) Nakegu (feed) literally meaning feeding rice to the frog. People wear wrought iron metal rings on this day which is believed to have the power to safeguard people from ills and evil spirits. Beyond legends and significance, the people of Kathmandu Valley are going through a difficult period to give continuity to this festival these days. It is not a holiday. People do nothave time to spend one entireday in the courtyard. It is also difficult to find reed and painted masks. The growing traffic flow does not allow locals to erect effigies in the crossroads. And the mass of immigrant population do not like this festival and raise unnecessary objections. It is difficult to find a boy who is ready to act as a beggar and then perform the final rituals. In all these circumstances, it is highly probable that this festival will turn into a mere story in future. Article by : Reshu Pradhan Source: "PAU" - Newa Literary Magazine by SNGYA, 1st issue